Executive Summary
This report begins by describing the importance of information to an organization. It continues byemphasizing on the need for information systems in proper and effective management of this information.
In response to the first and second question in assessment 2 this report contains in its appendix a context diagram and a level zero data flow diagram (DFD) obtained from an analysis of the current scenario at the manufacturing company aimed at identifying information bottlenecks that exist.
In response to the third and fourth question of assessment 2 the topic of ethics is introduced and the principles of ethics involved in scenario part B stated and explained.
This report concludes thatorganizations should incorporate information systems so as to better manage their information.
However, before incorporating them they should carry out a scenario analysis so as to ensure that functional requirements of the system are known.
Introduction
The importance of information to an organization can be likened to that of blood in a human being. An organization that manages and protects its information well is more likely to achieve its mission as it is outlined in its mission statement than one which does not.
Information systems are the means through which organizations manage and protect their information. Information systems enable organizations to fit in the dynamic context (market) their find themselves in and in addition enable them to maintain knowledge of their internal workings.
Basically, the mechanism of an information system consists of hardware and software that creates and stores a log of other vital systems in the organization, which are known as target systems. An example of a target system can be the human resource system in an organization.
According to Shelly, Cashman and Vermaat, five types of information systems exist (1999). The first three types are office information systems, transaction processing systems and management information systems.
The fourth and fifth types of information systems are decision support systems and expert systems.
Discussion
A context diagram also known as a level zero data flow diagram (DFD) is a DFD with a single massive central process that is the relationship between all the entities involved (SmartDraw, 2012).
Context diagrams are critical in ensuring that the scope of analysis is limited to the system or scenario under investigation (Precision Quality Software, 2011). Context diagrams are also essential because they ensure that the functional requirements of a system that is to be created to solve a given problem are not overlooked (Precision Quality Software, 2011).
A typical context diagram comprises of external entities, a single massive central process, data flows and /or resource flows(SmartDraw, 2012).
Appendix A and appendix B show the context diagram and level zero data flow diagram of the scenario at the manufacturing company as it is described in scenario part A of assessment 2.
These two diagrams are the end result of an analysis aimed at identifying the information bottlenecks at the manufacturing company.
The rectangles in the context diagram and level zero data flow diagram represent external entities, the circle represents the single massive central process and the arrows represent the data and/or resource flow.
The external entities comprise the various departments of the manufacturing company (e.g. Accounts, Marketing, R&D, HR), company staff, company general manager and government departments.
The single massive central process is an information system. As pointed out above, the information system connects all these external entities together.
One flow of data is between the information system and the Accounts, Manufacturing, R&D and Marketing departments.
These departments request weekly reports showing for each staff member, annual and sick leave due and taken, any staff member who will be due for long service leave within the next six months and the total wages bill for that department, Month-to-Date and Year-to-Date.
The information system accepts these requests, processes them, generates the reports and sends them to the relevant department. Another flow of data is between the information system and company’s staff. Company staff invoke queries against the information system so as to viewwage and leave information.
The information system accepts these queries, processes them and returns results for each query. Another flow of information exists between the information system and the company’s Human Resource (HR) department. The information system ensures that staff wage and leave requests go directly to the HR department.
The information system also ensures that the HR department is notified on any resignations or vacant positions in the Accounts, Manufacturing, R&D and Marketing departments. The information system in addition to these allows the HR department to store and maintain a file of rates from the different advertising newspapers and journals.
Another information flow exists between the information system and government departments. This information flow ensures that the government departments receive monthly notifications on staff statistics. The final information flow is between the information system and the company’s general manager.
This information flow ensures that the general manager requests and receives summarized weekly and monthly departmental reports.
Copyright laws in Australia give the owner of the copyright exclusive rights to his or her works and state clearly that any other person who wishes to use copyrighted work in a manner not accommodated in the laws should obtain permission from the owner (Australian Copyright Council, 2007).
The copyright laws proceed to state thatuse or reproduction of essential parts of copyrighted work without the owner’s permission amounts to infringement of copyright laws(Australian Copyright Council, 2007).
Another way in which infringement of the copyright laws occurs is when an entity authorizes infringement(Australian Copyright Council, 2007). Authorization of infringement occurs when an entity endorses work that that is in itself an infringement of Australian copyright laws(Australian Copyright Council, 2007).
Authorization of infringement also occurs when an entity abets another entity to infringe Australian copyright laws(Australian Copyright Council, 2007).
Another way in which infringement of Australian copyright laws occurs is when an entity imports certain types of items that contain material that is copyrighted(Australian Copyright Council, 2007).
Lastly, infringement of Australian copyright laws also occurs when an entity sells material that is itself an infringement of the laws or sells items that contain material that infringes the laws(Australian Copyright Council, 2007).
The video by Shane Warne discussed in scenario part B of assessment 2 is protected by the Australian copyright law on films, sound recordings, broadcasts and published editions. As such Shane Warne possesses exclusive rights to its reproduction.
In a business context ethics enlighten an organization on the acceptable behavior to adopt in pursuing its interests at the point in which the organization may held accountable for its actions by another entity (MacDonald, n.d.).
A lack of ethics can be detrimental to an organization as any action it takes that involves other external entities places it at the risk of lawsuits. The lawsuits can significantly cut down on the profits of the organization.
According to the ACS code of ethics one ethical principle involved in the scenario discussed in the second part of assessment 2 is adhering tothe Australian laws (Australian Computer Society Inc., 2012). The ACS code of ethics states that its members should adhere to the Australian laws.
Another ethical principle involved is the ability of its members to put the interests of the public first, that is, their own interests (business or not) should come second(Australian Computer Society Inc., 2012).This ethical principle ensures the safeguarding of the interests of immediate stakeholders.
Another ethical principle outlined in ACS code of ethics that is involved in the scenario discussed in the second part of assessment 2 is honesty and trustworthiness(Australian Computer Society Inc., 2012).
The ACS code of ethics points out thathonesty and trustworthiness is one way in which to avoid conflict of interests.
Another ethical principle outlined in ACS code of ethics that is involved in the scenario discussed in the second part of assessment 2 is honoring of property rights, which includes copyrights and patents.
The ACS code of ethics preaches that behavior that leads to and that encourages violation of property rights is unprofessional and should be avoided. The ACS code of ethics additionally underpins the importance of seeking authorization from the owners of copyrighted materials before creating a duplicate of copyrighted material.
Another ethical principle outlined in ACS code of ethics that is involved in the scenario discussed in the second part of assessment 2 is giving proper and deserved credit to the owners of intellectual property(Australian Computer Society Inc., 2012).
The ACS code of ethics preaches that is proper discipline to give proper credit to the owners of intellectual property even if the property is not protected by Australian copyright or patent laws.
Recommendations
This report recommends that Helen backs Sally’s option of purchasing Shane Warne’s video. This is because Sally’s option is more ethical compared to Chen’s option. Sally’s option endorses all of the ethical principles discussed above.
Chen’s option encourages infringement of Australian copyright laws as well as disregards the ethical principles outlined above and therefore this report does not recommend it to Helen.
Conclusion
This report concludes that organizations should incorporate information systems so as to better manage and protect their information.
Before incorporating the information system it is imperative for the organization to do a scenario analysis and come up with context diagrams so as to ensure that all the functional requirements of the system are known.
References
Australian Copyright Council, 2007, An Introduction to Copyright in Australia. Web.
Australian Computer Society Inc., 2012, ACS Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct. Web.
MacDonald, C., Definition: business ethics. Web.
Precision Quality Software, 2011, Context Diagrams: an explanation. Web.
Shelly, Cashman and Vermaat, 1999, Types of information systems. Web.
Smart Draw 2012, Context diagrams. Web.
Appendix
Appendix A
Context diagram
Appendix B
Level zero Dataflow diagram
